Nearly 30 years after the landmark animated series was brought to prime-time television by Hanna-Barbera, the continued popularity of Johnny Quest led the studio to create two new feature-length adventures built around Quest presented together on this one Blu-ray™ disc. In Jonny’s Golden Quest, long-time Quest fans get to meet the women behind the adventurous men. Joining scientist Benton Quest, his plucky son Jonny, bodyguard Race Bannon and Jonny’s young friend Hadji are Benton’s biologist wife Rachel, Race’s ex-wife Jade and young 12-year-old Jessie. In Jonny Quest vs. The Cyber Insects, the evil Dr. Zin has genetically modified household pests into disturbingly large insects that he calls assassinoids, fearless and devoted warriors that will conduct his plan for world domination. Team Quest, headed by internationally respected scientist Benton Quest, is Earth’s only hope. When the good doctor becomes Zin’s captive, the stakes – and the action quotient – grow higher. Enter Jonny Quest, Dr. Quest’s bright, excitable, imaginative and heroic young son, ex-special agent Race Bannon, Jonny’s child genius friends Hadji and Jessie (Race’s daughter), their robotic pal 4-DAC and bulldog Bandit to complete the job of vermin extermination before it’s too late.
For thoughts on Jonny’s Golden Quest/Jonny Quest vs. The Cyber Insects, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:
Video Quality
Warner Archive brings Jonny’s Golden Quest and Jonny Quest vs. The Cyber Insects to Blu-Ray in their original aspect ratio with a pair of amazing transfers that are sure to please fans. The films are bursting with bold, vibrant colors and no trace of age-related wear and tear or damage. This disc allows the original look of the films to excel in HD. The animation quality from this period of made-for-TV movies is pretty strong with subtle character facets that stand out more than ever. The textures of all the various background environments appear consistently defined and give the adventures a nice sense of depth and scale.
Any instances of minor softness seem to stem back to the animation style, but these allow both films to maintain their artistic integrity. Black levels hold up well with no serious instances of crush or noise in sight. Both films do a decent job of maintaining their original look with a significant amount of detail and clarity in the picture. It is possible that these fresh masters were not prepared by Warner Archive, but these remastered sources are presented with a top-notch encode. There are fleeting signs of DNR on the original effort that would indicate the remaster was not handled by the normal Warner Archive team, but it is not a major incursion. Warner Archive continues to do well by Hanna-Barbera.
Audio Quality
The audio quality of the Blu-Ray discs stands tall thanks to a pair of excellent DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio tracks that bring each film to life without fail. These classic vocal performances come through without any hint of strain or distortion. Any sonic shortcomings with previous lossy tracks are now rectified with this full-bodied soundscape that provides immaculate clarity to the dialogue, sound effects, and music. The environmental elements are very important when it comes to establishing the locales, and this track allows them to bring each place to lush life in the speakers. Fidelity remains top-notch throughout with no obvious weaknesses. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.
Special Features
There are no special features provided on this disc.
Final Thoughts
Jonny’s Golden Quest and Jonny Quest vs. The Cyber Insects are two fun outings that expand upon the original series fairly seamlessly. Jonny’s Golden Quest is an especially interesting entry as you get to spend a little bit of time with a character only discussed in passing which helps strengthen the emotional core of the main ensemble. Jonny Quest vs. The Cyber Insects is a more standalone tale, but it is fun with an important message for Jonny about receiving help from those who love you. For those who want a bit more adventure from their animation, this series hits the spot. Warner Archive has delivered a Blu-Ray featuring a terrific A/V presentation but no special features. Fans of the series will be pleased by this release. Recommended
Jonny’s Golden Quest/Jonny Quest vs. The Cyber Insects can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
